Flyboys

COMPLETE with some 'Allo, 'Allo moments, this underpowered action thriller tells the true story of the young men of the Lafayette Escadrille, the first American fighter-pilot squadron to see action in the First World War.

COMPLETE with some 'Allo, 'Allo moments, this underpowered action thriller tells the true story of the young men of the Lafayette Escadrille, the first American fighter-pilot squadron to see action in the First World War.

A group of brave volunteers signed up to join the French and British allies in the fight for democracy knowing they might be killed within weeks.

Though often well done, the air battles go on forever in a 138-minute movie offering the airborne equivalent to the current overload of sea battles in Pirates 3.

Directed by actor and pilot Tony Bill, the multi-winged dog-fights become increasingly repetitive and, when a final shot is fired, surely aerodynamically implausible if not impossible.

On the ground, the romantic angles are tarnished with an unnecessary prostitutes' theme while also becoming wearisome like an overlong episode of Heartbeat transplanted into WWI.

Not much different to the 1990 film Memphis Belle, then, Michael Caton Jones' account of the final bombing raid over Germany during the Second World War.

Flyboys' cast includes a post Godzilla/Pink Panther appearance from Jean Reno (Captain Thenault), who is clearly never going to make anything as sensational as Leon again.

But full credit to James Franco - Spider-Man 1-2-3 villain Harry Osborn - for gaining a pilot's licence to try to ensure he really does look the part as Blaine Rawlings.